Cigarette filter



March 24, 1970 E. J. ROMANO CIGARETTE FILTER Filed July 5, 1968 l l l I 1 r I l I l 1 I l I p l l n f a l n l l l u I mv d. I.. .4r Ar. J. l.

JNVENTOR, Ernest J. Romano,

BY M f WMM A whys.

United States Patent O 3,502,087 CIGARETTE FILTER Ernest J. Romano, Warwick, RJ.

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A cigarette filter comprising a cylindrical housing having a tubular member extending longitudinally and coneentrically therein so as to provide an annular chamber therebetween. The tubular member is open at its mouth end and closed at its opposite end, while the opposite is true of the annular chamber. A plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced openings are provided in the peripheral surface of said tubular member, and an air-pervious sleeve filter covers said apertures. Additional filter means block the open end of the annular chamber, whereupon inhaled smoke must first pass through the additional filter means to the annular chamber and then subsequently through the filtered apertures to the interior of the air-pervious sleeve tubular member before reaching the mouth of the smoker. The volume defined by the annular chamber is several times the volume taken up by the air-pervious sleeve.

Background of the invention Filter means have long been provided in cigarettes and the like to perform a number of functions. A primary object of such filter means is to remove the harmful tars contained in the tobacco and prevent same from reaching the smokers mouth. In addition, the filter means absorbs moisture contained in the smoke. Also, cigarette filter means function to decolorize so as to cause less stain on the smokers fingers. All of these objects combine to provide a smoother taste and a more enjoyable smoke.

Since there are obvious space limitations in connection with lter means of this type, it has long been a problem to obtain maximum filtering in a minimum amount of space. In addition to this, it is obviously important that effective filtering be provided at an economical cost. Furthermore, the filter means must not unduly impede the draw of smoke through the cigarette to the smokers mouth. While many prior art filters have been designed and developed in order to meet these objectives, it is though to be common knowledge that none of them have attained the hoped-for degree of success.

Summary of the invention The present invention relates to a cigarette filter comprising a cylindrical housing disposed within the tobacco wrapper adjacent the mouth end of the cigarette. Within this housing there is positioned a tubular member that extends longitudinally and concentrically of the housing so as to provide an annular chamber therebetween. The annular chamber is closed at its mouth end and is open at its opposite end. The tubular member, on the other hand, is open at its mouth end and is closed at its opposite end. A plurality of apertures are provided in the periph- 3,502,087 Patented Mar. 24, 1970 ICC eral wall of the tubular member, which apertures are covered by suitable filtering means. Additional filter means are located adjacent the open end of the annular charnber, whereupon smoke must rst pass through the additional filter means to the annular chamber and then through the filtered apertures to the interior of the tubular member before reaching the smokers mouth.

It is therefore a primary object of the instant invention to provide means which accomplish a maximum amount of filtering within a minimum space.

A further object of my invention is the provision of two-stage filtering means which not only result in a better filtering action, but which also provide a cooler smoke.

Another object is the provision of filtering means which cause the smoke to pass longitudinally through a first filter and then radially through a second filter.

A further object is the provision of a cigarette filter which is easy to manufacture and incorporate in a conventional cigarette and which is economically feasible.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become obvious as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

Description of the drawings In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a cigarette filter constructed in accordance With the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of certain components which make up the instant filter; and

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a slightly modified filter.

Description of the invention Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly FIG. 1, a conventional cigarette is shown at 10 comprising tobacco 12 and paper Wrapper 14. Adjacent the mouth end 16 of cigarette 10 there is provided a cylindrical housing 18 constructed of any suitable material, such as plastic. It will be seen that the housing 18 fits snugly within paper wrapper 14 and is substantially coterminous therewith at the mouth end 16 of the cigarette. The housing 18 is relatively thin but still embodies sufficient strength so as to resist crushing and, as indicated, is imperforate and non-penetratable by tobacco smoke.

Located within the housing 18 and extending longitudinally and substantially concentrically thereof is a tubular member 20 which is open at its mouth end as at 22 and which is closed at its opposite end by wall 24. Thus, it will be seen that the tubular member 20 and housing 18 cooperate to define an annular chamber 26 which is closed at its downstream or mouth end, as by wall 28, and which is open at its opposite end. As shown in FIG. l, wall 28 comprises a radial fiange that extends integrally and outwardly from tubular member 20 until it engages the inner surface of housing 18, whereupon the wall or iiange 28 then extends longitudinally along the inner surface of housing 18, as shown at 30, to its point of termination, which is substantially coterminous with the mouth end of housing 18 and paper wrapper 14. It will be understood that the wall 30 makes a snug friction 3 fit within housing 18, and it is this fit Which enables quick and easy assembly of these parts.

The tubular member is also preferably constructed of any suitable material, such as lightweight plastic, it being obvious that this part may be easily molded. It is important to note that the diameter of the tubular member 20 is substantially less than one half the diameter of housing 18, whereby to insure that the annular chamber 26 has substantial breadth.

The peripheral wall of tubular member 20 is provided with a plurality of apertures 32 which extend for substantially the length of the tubular member as well as therearound. These apertures are covered by a suitable filter 34 which m-ay be in the form of a tubular sleeve slidable over tubular member 20 or in the form of a sheath that may be wrapped around the tubular member 20. The details of the filter per se form no part of the instant invention, it being understood that the filter 34 is of a conventional nature and may be constructed of viscose, cotton or paper impregnated or coated with usual filter materials, such as activated carbon, magnesium carbonate, and/ or talcum powder USP.

Additional filter means 36 are located adjacent the closed end of tubular member 20 and the open end of annular chamber 26, as clearly shown in FIG. 1. The filter means 36 is also of conventional construction and comprises a plug of cotton, paper or other suitable filter material in the configuration of a circular disc, the diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of cigarette 10, whereby smoke being inhaled toward the mouth end of the cigarette must pass through the filter 36 to the chamber 26. Obviously, as the smoke passes through the filter 36, much of the desired filtering action is achieved. However, this is only the first stage in the filtering action since, as just mentioned, the smoke then passes into chamber 26, from whence it subsequently passes through filtered apertures 32 to the interior of tubular member 20 before reaching the smokers mouth.

It is interesting to note that when a smoker inhales on cigarette 10, it is substantially the smoke in chamber 26 which will be drawn into the smokers mouth, and at the same time a new supply of smoke will pass through filter 36 into the chamber 26. This results in a much cooler smoke, since the smoke in chamber 26 has been allowed to cool somewhat prior to being inhaled. It has further been found that the two-stage filtering action wherein the smoke passes longitudinally of the cigarette through the first filter and radially through the second filter provides a highly effective filtering action. Also, the fact that the filter 34 is in the form of a longitudinal tube or sleeve enables maximum filtering to be accomplished in the space provided while at the same time not unnecessarily impairing the draw of smoke to the smokers mouth. Expressed differently, filtering is taking place over a maximum area; and in view of the plurality of apertures provided, minimum impedance against the draw of smoke to the smokers mouth exists. The circular wall 30 provides additional support at the mouth end of the cigarette, and, at the same time, the fact that the tubular member 20 actually terminates inwardly of the mouth end of the cigarette results in no obstruction being present at the cigarette mouth.

In FIG. 3, a slightly modified form of my invention is shown. Actually, the embodiment of FIG. 3 functions identically to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, the only difference being that tubular member 20a is not provided with the walls 28 and 30 at its mouth end. In order to assemble tubular member 20a to cylindrical housing 18, the latter s provided with a wall 38 which extends inwardly from its mouth end and which is of funnel-like configuration, having a passage 40 extending centrally therethrough. The tubular member 20a is wedgingly forced on to the inner end of wall 38 and hence is fritionally assembled therewith, as clearly shown in FIG, 3, The use and operation 0f the Ilter shown in FIG, 3 is otherwise no different from that above described, although it will be noted that with the construction shown in FIG. 3, the annular chamber 26 is slightly enlarged, thus enabling a slightly larger supply of smoke to be maintained in the chamber. It will be understood, of course, that wall 38 may be integrally molded as a part of housing 18 and wall 38 is imperforate, whereby to insure that smoke from chamber 26 must first pass through the filtered apertures 32 to the interior of tubular member 20a before passing outwardly through passage 40 to the smokers mouth.

Although my invention has been described in connection with a cigarette filter, it will be obvious that the principles of this invention are equally applicable to pipes and cigarette holders. Accordingly, the term cigarette `as used herein covers obvious equivalents, such as pipes, cigarette holders `and the like.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette filter comprising a cylindrical housing, a tubular member concentrically positioned within said housing so as to define an annular chamber therebetween, said tubular member being open at its downstream end and closed at its opposite end, said annular chamber being closed at its downstream end and open at its opposite end, a plurality of apertures circumferentially and longitudinally spaced in the peripheral wall of said tubular member, first filter means covering the open end of said annular chamber and second filter means comprising an airprevious sleeve covering the aforesaid apertures, the volume defined by said annular chamber being several times greater than the volume taken up by said air-pervious sleeve, 'whereby smoke drawn through said first filter means may flow freely and unimpeded through and about said annular chamber to effect cooling of the smoke prior to passage thereof through said apertures and said air-pervious sleeve.

2. In the cigarette filter of claim 1, said first filter means comprising a fibrous plug located adjacent the said opposite ends of said tubular member and chamber, said plug having the configuration of a circular disc, the diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the cigarette, so that all inhaled smoke must pass through said first filter means to said annular chamber.

3. In the cigarette filter of claim 1, said opposite ends of said tubular member and said chamber being substantially coterminous, the mouth end of said tubular member terminating inwardly of the mouth end of said cylindrical housing.

4. In the cigarette filter of claim 3, said tubular member having an integral, imperforate radially extending flange at its mouth end, said flange extending outwardly to the inner surface of said cylindrical housing and then longitudinally thereagainst to a point adjacent the mouth end of said housing.

5. In the cigarette filter of claim 4, said fiange making a friction fit within said housing to effect assembly of said tubular member therewith.

6. In the cigarette filter of claim 3, said cylindrical housing having an integral, imperforate flange extending inwardly from its mouth end, said tubular member being connected to said fiange.

7. In the cigarette filter of claim 6, said flange being of funnel configuration, said tubular member wedingly engaging the inner end of said fiange to effect assembly therewith.

8. In the cigarette filter of claim 1, the diameter of said, inner tube being substantially less than one-half the diam eter of said housing, said apertures extending for substan` tially the length of said tubular member and substantially therearound.

9. In the cigarette lter of claim 1, said housing and said tubular member both being of plastic construction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Y 6 3,267,941 8/1966 Doppel 131-207 X 1,959,245 5/1934 Levells 131-211 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,118,860 3/1956 France.

3,566 1909 Great Britain.

ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Primary Examiner 0 J. H. CZERWONSKY, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

